Iran proposes uranium transfer in US diplomacy push

Iran has suggested a plan to dilute and transfer its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent to a third country, as it attempts to resolve a diplomatic standoff with the United States and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to sources familiar with Iran's stance. The proposal entails initially lowering the enrichment level of the material before exporting it under agreements approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

This idea extends beyond President Masoud Pezeshkian's recent promise to dilute the 60 percent uranium stockpile and permit international verification.

The uranium proposal is being deliberated alongside a seven-day Iranian roadmap shared with Washington through Qatar. Under this plan, the Strait of Hormuz could reopen if the United States fulfills conditions set by Tehran. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the schedule would commence once Washington agrees to the plan, with the strategic waterway potentially reopening on the sixth day if agreed-upon steps are executed.

Tehran's strategy connects the current security crisis in the Gulf with the potential restoration of negotiations concerning its nuclear program. Iranian officials have demanded the cessation of military operations against Iran, the removal of a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports, access to frozen Iranian assets, and relief from oil-related constraints before the strait is fully reopened.

The primary challenge remains the sequence in which the two parties would act. Iran seeks for Washington to carry out key commitments before Tehran resumes regular passage through Hormuz, while the United States has insisted on reopening the waterway first. This sequencing dispute has emerged as a central point in recent diplomatic talks in New York during the UN General Assembly.

Pezeshkian indicated that Tehran is willing to decrease the enrichment level of its uranium and subject the process to verification, while demanding a return to commitments from a June memorandum of understanding between the two sides. His remarks offered the most explicit public signal that Iran might be open to addressing one of Washington's core nuclear concerns as part of a broader settlement.

The exact status of the transfer proposal remains uncertain. A senior Iranian official separately revealed that Tehran would show no flexibility regarding its nuclear program, even if the United States accepted the Hormuz plan, highlighting the divergence between public statements and discussions in diplomatic channels. No final agreement has been announced, and Washington has not formally endorsed Tehran's seven-day timetable.